


The Morning After The Night Before

by gladsomemind



Series: TMATNB [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Light BDSM, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-25
Updated: 2008-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-21 12:01:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6050932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gladsomemind/pseuds/gladsomemind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a night imbibing a little more than perhaps sensible Arthur wakes up in a slight unfamiliar place.</p><p>Old LJ Fic</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Morning After The Night Before

When Arthur woke everything seemed a little strange. Light was coming from the wrong direction, he was cold and uncomfortable, legs dangling off the side of whatever it was he was lying on. The only thing that did seem right was the pillow, which in turn was odd as it felt nothing like his pillow normally felt.

The other thing he noticed at once was a small animal appeared to have died in his mouth and he was desperate to empty his bladder. Apart from the immediate requirement to fix these problems he wanted to stay exactly where he was, maybe with a little bit of rearrangement and a blanket.

Bringing his hand up to help push himself up, Arthur froze when the pillow he encountered was warmer than expected and came complete with a pulse. Suddenly far more awake Arthur jack-knifed up and promptly fell off the bed he had been laying width ways across.

Scrambling to his feet he looked around wildly and then promptly grasped his head as a spasm ran through it. Turning, slowly this time, to the bed he was greeted with the sight of a long lean and above all naked body. Its head was covered by one of Arthur’s pillows but the arms were tied above the person’s head. Finally looking back down the body there were two palm prints fainly visible on the exposed cheeks, which he had been nestled up against.

Stepping further from the bed Arthur shuddered as the alcohol he had knocked back the night before threatened to return. Looking around for some water he silently cursed Merlin for not arriving with his breakfast yet. Sanity swiftly returned at the thought of Merlin walking in on the tableau that he and his faceless pillow must have presented. Closely followed by the fear that Merlin had been and gone, never to return, shocked at the both the sight and of the decadence of court.

All of which meant that he would need to deal with this mess himself. Quickly. But first relief and then some water. If he could have managed it he would have sent for some of Gaius’ willowbark tea. In the circumstances that probably wouldn’t be a good idea as Merlin would be sure to be the one to bring it. 

Moving to the antechamber he swiftly went through the ablutions he could stand with his head still spinning. Pouring the jug of cold water over his head only made him shiver and really didn’t help with the hangover.

Taking a few deep breaths he moved back to the bedchamber and took another long look at the body tethered there. Long white limbs, muscular legs - all unmarred apart from those two marks. Arthur had to hold himself back from trailing a hand down the expanse of back crying out for a caress. 

Maybe, just this once, it would be alright to take the cowards way out. He could just loosen the bonds holding his prisoner down then sneak out. His captive would wake in his own time and would know enough to leave. Surely.

No, as Prince of Camelot it behove him to stand up to his mistakes. This would need to be dealt with clearly and above board. An apology was probably in order – it would probably help if Arthur could actually remember anything of the previous night. 

So identification first, followed by release then apology. Some small trinket would probably be in order. The value of which would need to be decided once the identity of the man had been established, because there could be no doubt that these contours were male.

Stepping forward and reaching out a hand to remove the pillow from his companion’s head, a groan from the body soon had the prince retreating once more. Maybe it would be OK to get Merlin to release him. As his servant it was even his duty to clean up after Arthur.

Indeed as his old tutor had been so fond of saying, before Uther had him fired, discretion is, in fact, the better part of valour. The man may not want to face the prince after what had clearly gone on the night before. The body in his bed seemed to settle back down into sleep – clearly Arthur’s companion of the night before was as drunk as Arthur had been. However he did look cold.

Finally settling on a course of action Arthur walked over to his cupboard, removed a shirt more suited to training and switched the two over, dropping the one he had slept on on the floor for Merlin to deal with later. Then grasping his belt knife he walked over to the bed and cut through the rope holding his captive to the bed. Before leaving the room he pulled a blanket up over the recumbent figure, taking one last look as the woolen cloth covered the view.

With one last deep breath, Arthur turned and quieter than he would have thought possible in the state of hangover he left the room and made his way to the training room.  A morning spend inspecting the arrows would be a nice, quiet, way to get over the hangover.

**Author's Note:**

> Alternative paths through the story are available. If you want the alternate POV follow the title. If you want to stick with Arthur go with TMATNB-A


End file.
